Momma cats bizzare behavior with new kitten

Question
Our cat gave birth last week to her second litter.  Only 2 kittens this time.  She has them in a cardboard box upstairs and seems to be comfortable as the box is "hidden" from view.  About 10 times today, every hour or so, she has dragged 1 of her kittens (always the same one) by the neck downstairs.  It squeals quite a bit when she does.  She goes to the foyer with it for less than a minute and then returns with it.  Then she puts it back and all is well and quiet.  Before she does this behavior, she sometimes meows short little meows and tries to get my attention, but not always.  Any ideas on this strange behavior?

Answer
Lynette,

This is odd behavior and I am wondering if there is some sort of health problem with momma or her babies. I would suggest that the whole family sees the vet as soon as possible because in my experience when a cat is behaving like that they are trying to get some help for some sort of a problem. I would say that mom and babies should see the vet as quickly as possible, even to the extreme of taking them in within 24 hours so that they can be assessed for health and treated for any problem. It may be that this kitten has some sort of a birth defect such a cleft palate, or even that this kitten is not feeding properly and she is asking for help. The other thought that comes to mind is whether or not mom may have a kitten still caught in her birth canal or even have retained after birth. She may also have mastitis which is an infection of the mammary glands, or maybe she isn't producing enough milk to feed both kittens. I would try to take all to the vet to be thoroughly checked just to make sure that everything is okay...If the vet exam comes back all clear, your momma cat may just be asking for a babysitter. Please let me know how the results of the vet check turn out. If you have any further questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me again.